Communication between different electronic components usually requires the receiving component to sample and strobe the received signal. The increasing amount of data and the speed by which data is moved to and from various components has pushed the uppermost bounds of performance. In order to mitigate the performance limitations, source synchronous architecture has been used. In general, in a source synchronous architecture the transmitting component produces its own clock signal that travels in parallel with the data signal. Theoretically the clocking signals suffer from the same delay and the same drift as the data signals.
Unfortunately, as electronic components become smaller and faster, they become more prone to signal jitter, which causes degradation in data signals and clocking signals. Noise coupling effects within electronic devices produces jitter which is further magnified by lower transistor threshold voltages and large current transients during switching. Moreover, additional jitter is introduced in response to temperature changes. Jitter causes signal delay, signal drift and other inaccuracies to the system.
Different strobing techniques have been utilized in a source synchronous architecture. Two common strobing techniques include a center-strobing and an edge-strobing technique. A source transmitter determines the strobing technique.
Referring now to FIG. 1, a center strobing technique and an edge-strobing technique have been shown. An edge-strobing technique strobes data with clocking signals 40 when the data signal 50 is transitioning (e.g., when data transitions from a high to a low and vice versa). In contrast, a center-strobing technique strobes data with clocking signals 60 at the center of each data bit (e.g., midpoint).
Unfortunately the conventional method requires the receiving component to be aware a priori of the strobing design of the transmitting component such that the transmitted data can be recovered. However, various components use different strobing techniques and knowledge of the strobing design of the transmitting component is not always possible. Moreover, the receiving component may need a strobing design that is different from the strobing design of a transmitting component. As such, strobing incompatibility in source synchronous systems is a problem.